


Keeping Balance

by UselessLilium (o0whitelily0o)



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Kink Exploration, Light Bondage, M/M, teens making questionable choices
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-12 01:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18001001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/o0whitelily0o/pseuds/UselessLilium
Summary: Hogwarts AU: Kazumi's helped Shiranui experiment with his own magic for years, but his newest idea unearths some feelings that Kazumi can't ignore.





	Keeping Balance

**Author's Note:**

> It isn't mentioned, but for anyone who's curious: Shiranui's in Slytherin, Kazumi's in Gryffindor.

“Alright, Kazumi,” Shiranui asked, drawing his wand and looking at him very seriously. It was just the two of them in the unused clubroom, and Kazumi felt oddly aware of just how much space there was between the two of them on the bench they were using. How focused Shiranui’s eyes were, right on him. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

“I’m sure,” Kazumi still said, nodding without hesitation. Shiranui had been testing this new spell of his on dolls and even an old mannequin they’d found in storage, but he needed to try it on an actual person at some point. And Kazumi had decided all the way back in their first year that he’d help Shiranui with anything he needed.

Shiranui still hesitated another moment, then nodded back, and called out the hex, swooping his wand in a low arc before suddenly twistng it backwards. Immediately, Kazumi’s wrists were pulled forwards and together, stuck in front of him at chest level, where the tip of Shiranui’s wand still pointed.

“So far so good,” Shiranui said, keeping his wand still and his eyes carefully on Kazumi’s wrists, “How does it feel? Does it hurt?”

“No, not exactly.” Carefully, Kazumi flexed his fingers. They moved just fine, but when he tried to tug his wrists in any direction, they stayed perfectly in place. “It feels like there’s some sort of pressure around them. But it isn’t painful.” With a grin, he looked over at Shiranui. “I think you’ve got it!” 

It was so exciting, seeing his friend’s work coming together like this. Shiranui was often frustrated with the spells they learned in class, especially combat spells. His most recent complaint was with immobilization hexes - he felt they were too broad in their focus, and wanted to use something that offered more specialized control. This most recent attempt at spell creation was for a hex that would interfere with wand-work specifically, with the bonus that a narrower range meant any counterspells would have to be very quick and very exact to deflect it. And now, after a few months of practice and experimentation, his efforts was coming together.

But the focused, thoughtful look on Shiranui’s face just barely shifted. “Hang on, I still need to try this-” He flicked his wand upwards, and Kazumi’s wrists followed immediately, stopping just above his head. The sudden movement of his own body made his heart skip a beat, and he had to adjust how he was sitting to keep his balance. Shiranui blinked, maybe catching a trace of nervousness on his face, and paused. “Ah, sorry. Should’ve given you more warning.”

Kazumi laughed easily, feeling his face redden. “No, no, it’s fine. I was just startled by how quickly it worked.” Very startled, it seemed. The position wasn’t uncomfortable, but he felt a kind of restlessness he didn’t know how to place. And his heart hadn’t calmed down at all. Clearing his throat lightly, he decided to focus on the experiment, and tried to move his wrists from their new placement. They didn’t budge even a centimeter. “It doesn’t seem to have changed any... I don’t feel a difference, at least.”

Shiranui let out a small sigh. “Good. It’d be pretty useless if it started to dissipate from just a little movement.” He frowned slightly, moving towards Kazumi to look more closely at where the spell was cast. “I want to wait and see how long it’ll take to start weakening on its own, but I can’t ask you to just sit here like this...”

“I don’t mind,” Kazumi said, almost without thinking. The way Shiranui looked at him then - just slightly above him, with something like skepticism - suddenly made it seem like further explanation was necessary. “I mean, we’re already done with classes for the day. And dinner won’t be for a while.” He tried to fidget, and found it made him all the more aware of how locked in place his wrists were. “If... it’s helpful, then I’m fine with anything.”

“Hm...” Shiranui leaned back, tilting his head. “Anything? Really?”

Kazumi had seen plenty of people exploited by his own family to know the importance of choosing your words carefully. Of not offering more than you can afford to. But... he still nodded. “Of course. Whatever you need.”

The boy across from him smirked. “Then, how about this?” He asked, sharply raising the angle of his wand, forcing Kazumi’s wrists further up. This time, Kazumi couldn’t suppress a startled gasp at the feeling of having them yanked, enough to nearly lift him from where he was sitting. “Tell me how that feels.”

If he’d felt too aware of Shiranui before, it was even worse now. Despite his effort to look calm, he felt the heat in his cheeks and knew he must be blushing. “It’s- it doesn’t hurt my wrists,” he said, keeping his eyes anywhere but on Shiranui. “But it is- ah- kind of a strain.” A small understatement. It was actually a little painful, and though he could ease it by changing his position and tucking a leg underneath himself, he... he didn’t think he wanted to. Not yet anyway.

The realization made him squirm despite himself. This wasn’t good. He needed to concentrate. Shiranui was expecting him to help and talk clearly, while he was just... just  _ what _ ? Kazumi didn’t even know how to explain to himself what he was feeling. Just that he couldn’t stop feeling like he was embarrassing himself, and still couldn’t get the smile off his face.

“You know,” Shiranui said, interrupting his thoughts, “This is a pretty good look for you.”

If he hadn’t turned completely red earlier, he definitely had by now. Shiranui was just teasing. He knew that. He should just laugh it off, like the joke it obviously was. But... but even if it was a joke, hearing it made him so happy, his chest ached. What did it say about him, that he apparently liked being stuck like this? It was creepy. Anyone would think so, right? He tried to hide his face against him arm, wanting to at least hide that much until he could get control of himself again, but it only made him feel more ridiculous. 

But almost as soon as he did, Shiranui asked, “Kazumi?” He tried to answer with something reassuring, but he didn’t know what to say. While he was still grappling for a response, Shiranui muttered another spell and the pressure around Kazumi’s wrists vanished. Able to move them again, he drew them right to his chest, like he could muffle the sound of his heart that way. “Sorry,” Shiranui said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean it as an insult, really. You just... you looked like you were having fun, so I thought-”

Kazumi shook his head fervently. “No, it’s alright, you didn’t do anything wrong. I  _ was _ having fun, just... maybe too much.” He put his face in his hands, scolding himself to calm down. “Sorry. I’ll... I’ll act less foolishly next time, I promise.”

For a few seconds, Shiranui didn’t say anything. Then he said, “I didn’t think you were being foolish.” Kazumi didn’t move, not quite able to absorb what he was hearing. “You’ve been working hard to help me all this time. If this is fun for you, then that’s a good thing.”

“...Really?” Kazumi asked, looking up from his hands tentatively. Shiranui was smiling at him, but that just made him feel like Shiranui hadn’t understood what he was really saying. He swallowed lightly, and then made himself try to explain properly, “It... it wasn’t just fun, though. It was - um - also kind of exciting. Enough to be distracting, and probably weird-”

But Shiranui just rolled his eyes. “Kazumi, relax. I already said it was fine, didn’t I?” Then, he leaned in closer, and with a mischievous glint to his eyes, added in a lower voice, “Besides, if you think you’re weird for enjoying it that much, what am I for wanting to see you like that?”

The blush returned, but Kazumi didn’t feel like he had to look away this time. He held Shiranui’s gaze carefully, and finally just asked, “Do you mean that?”

“I do,” Shiranui said, and now Kazumi noticed his wand was out again, “Want a demonstration?”

It took him a few seconds to answer - not because he didn’t know what to say, but just because it still felt like he was doing something wrong by saying it. But he finally said, almost a mutter, “Please.”

Shiranui smiled, then cast the spell again. Kazumi’s wrists locked together, but this time Shiranui pulled them down and forward, yanking Kazumi into a position that made it impossible to sit up, sudden enough to make him gasp. One of Shiranui’s hands kept his wand in the required position, while the other caught the side of Kazumi’s face. For a moment, he just looked down at him. Kazumi felt his heart flutter at interest and focus in those blue eyes. Then, before he could quite catch his breath, Shiranui leaned down and kissed him.

Kazumi didn’t dare think about what was happening, for fear he’d ruin it somehow. It was all he could do to not tilt over, with how he was being both pulled down by the wrists and kept up by Shiranui’s hand. The precariousness of his position, Shiranui’s fingers in his hair, and mouth on his - that was all he could focus on, until Shiranui drew back and let him breathe again.

“Did you like that too?” Shiranui asked, though in a tone that said he already knew the answer. Kazumi nodded weakly, still a little out of breath. Shiranui rubbed his thumb against his cheek, and with a softness Kazumi didn’t see from his often, said, “I’m glad, then.”

Just that - that small admission of a few words - gave Kazumi a burst of courage. “Then,” he just managed to say, “Would you... like to go out?”

Shiranui blinked. “Go out?”

Still smiling, Kazumi said, “You know, as in... date.” But softness, amusement - it all vanished right from Shiranui’s face as he pulled away from him.

“I’m surprised you’d even ask that,” he said, very matter-of-fact, “Isn’t that impossible?”

Kazumi tried not to wince, but couldn’t manage not to drop his eyes. “W- well...”

“You’re the one who always says how strongly your family feels about lineage. Do you really think you could get away with dating someone from a long line of blood traitors?” He tilted his head. “Just how do you think it’d go if they found out?”

For a second, Kazumi wanted to protest that it didn’t matter. He’d figure something out if it came to that. But his heart was already sinking quickly from the light, hopeful place it had been when he first asked. Shiranui was right. Of course he was. His father’s own dalliances didn’t change anything. Even now, Kazumi already understood very well that if his family found out, Shiranui would be the one to suffer the consequences. And... and he knew he couldn’t be trusted to protect anyone if it came to that. Not from that man. “...You’re right,” he admitted, “I’m sorry, I just... got caught up in the moment.”

“That’s what I thought,” he said, in a tone that gave Kazumi pause. It wasn’t... angry, exactly, but something sounded off about it. But when he looked up, Shiranui had his usual confident expression on. “But it’s fine. We’re already doing plenty of things in secret, aren’t we? I don’t mind adding another to the list."

Something about this still didn’t feel quite right. But despite that, Kazumi couldn’t make himself say no. They were already in their fifth year. Once he graduated, Kazumi fully expected to be forced to carry out whatever plan his father had for his life. And Shiranui, no doubt, would go on to accomplish amazing things and stun the entire wizarding world. He couldn’t imagine any way they could carry on any kind of relationship after graduation once he was under his father’s eye every day again.

So in the end, Kazumi smiled at him and agreed. Shiranui must be right. He almost always was. It was far better to acknowledge this couldn’t go anywhere and just enjoy what they could right now, than try to have something they couldn’t. 


End file.
